Air conditioner units for mounting on or within the roof of a vehicle typically spread the condenser and evaporator functions into two or more separate packages, requiring considerable roof space as well as creating air drag. Roof mounted air conditioner units which incorporate both the evaporator and condenser functions in a single package limit coil surface area, particularly condenser coil surface area, limiting the capacity of the unit.
My co-pending application Ser. No. 07/345,854, filed May 1, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,655, entitled "Air Conditioner Unit Suitable For Mounting On Roof Of A Vehicle", describes an air conditioner unit primarily suitable for roof mounting which includes both evaporator and condenser functions in a single compact package having a length dimension small enough to enable the unit to be mounted between any two adjacent structural beams of a vehicle, at the front, back, or intermediate the front and back of the vehicle, while providing sufficient evaporator and condenser coil surface area in the single package to enable the unit to satisfy the cooling demands of a typical transit bus. The supporting frame of the unit encloses and completely surrounds the components of the unit, separating them via upstanding peripheral and intermediate wall portions, dictating a fixed outer configuration for the unit as well as a fixed cover design.
It would be desirable and it is an object of the present invention to be able to adapt the single compact air conditioner component layout of my co-pending application to vehicles having a curved roof and curved roof supports, and to also make the unit adaptable to mounting within the roof of a vehicle as well as on the roof of a vehicle.